Fresh Faces 2024: Jeff Tsai

Jeff Tsai is lead of North American events and Global Executive Briefings for Dell Technologies. He's based in Austin, Texas. A quote from his nomination: "Having previously helmed Dell's Global Executive Briefing Program, he has recently transitioned into a new position overseeing the Experiential and Global Executive Briefing Program. While not new to the business landscape, Jeff emerges as a dynamic force in the experiential industry, harnessing a deep understanding of strategy and data to drive success in his new role."

Impact he hopes to have on the industry: "I’m a not-so-fresh fresh face in the events industry. My career has been built applying problem-solving, leadership, and customer experience skill sets across a broad range of functions and industries from the performing arts to higher education, management consulting, technology, and beyond. More recently, as I’ve joined the formal event industry, I’ve been amazed by this incredible community and its zest for creativity, innovation, and experiential storytelling.

When I think about my impact, I want to contribute my experiences as a career chameleon to bring fresh ideas from unfamiliar places. Whether it’s delivering a conference keynote like a conductor directs a symphony, using the tools of improv acting to enable executives to build 'trusted advisor' relationships, or reimagining immersive events through AI, I simply want to inspire the current and next generation of event professionals to seek and find the art of the possible."

How he spends his workdays: "I’m blessed to lead a great team of professionals spread across 11 countries. In a given day, we run customer engagements that span from highly customized C-level meetings (executive briefings) to events for 10 or up to 1,000-plus customers, including trade shows, conferences, mobile activations, and more. The typical day has me playing air traffic control between internal and external stakeholders as well as directly overseeing customer engagements.

There is no such thing as 'typical' in this business, but like many of my fellow Fresh Faces, I welcome the challenge. The skills I developed as a management consultant allow me to embrace constant change by stepping back to assess tough problems, structuring solutions, and leveraging my awesome team and peers to tackle whatever a 'typical day/quarter/era' has in store."

Career goals: "Throughout my career, I’ve always focused on interests over positions. Figure out what you’re good at, what fulfills you, your brand—all different flavors of the same pie—and let the pursuit of those interests guide your goals and career decisions. Five years from now, I see myself continuing to pursue those interests, no matter what positions and opportunities might arise."

Advice he has for his peers: "Herb Kelleher, co-founder of Southwest Airlines, famously said, 'The business of business is people.' To that end, I encourage others to follow some of the rules of improv acting, which include: Be fun to play with; make others look good; say 'yes, and' (rather than 'no, but'). Be someone that others want to collaborate with and/or follow. Again, it’s all about people. Also, be an intellectual omnivore—that is, maintain a hunger and curiosity to learn new things and solve new problems."

How he spends his free time: "I love to spend time with my wife and five kids (ranging from elementary to high school). These days, we’re fond of karaoke, escape rooms, and national parks. Also, I’m an endurance athlete who loves to travel with friends to run races. I also enjoy off-roading, craft beer, and having too many hobbies."

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